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I found the dialogue prompt to be far easier, as you can use the speaker as a vessel for exposition, whereas it was more difficult to mix scene setting/storytelling into the action prompt.

Well done folks.
I'm curious, are you guys allowed to confer privately and see if you got sent the same tests?

I've been dragging my heels on sending an application because I'm pretty sure philosophy and history in Imperial culture is not something that's going to get me the job.
"I shoot, but why?"
Perhaps I should expand that to a general interest in why things explode.

^Philosophy is already well explored within many of the 40k novels, especially the Horus Heresy series.

 ClockworkZion wrote:

 SpookyBoogie wrote:
Got the "Nice enthusiasm but what you want to cover isn't what we want at this time but you can take the test if you want even if we feel it'd be pointless" reply. Probably should have pitched a better idea overall.

I look at it this way: there is no rul that says one application per person so why not try again? Take a little time to touch up your proposal and give it another go if you really want to do it.

It's possible but i don't think i really want it bad enough . If i did i would have probably spent more time thinking it over it was just fun to apply and see what they say. Definitely don't feel it's worth pushing for the test for the hell of it even though they offer to let me take it anyway if i can't pass anything with full marks it's just not worth doing and if they don't like my ideas now then it wouldn't bode well for a potential job with them XD.

Good luck to the people taking the test though if people get through who can bring something cool to the table that would be awesome.

I don't see why you are negative about it - I got the same email and simply replied with "sure, send me the test" and they did.

The test is two super short stories.

I am not letting you quit this easy, you ask for the tests right now.

I am rewatching the Dawn of War trailers to get the proper feel and so it doesn't go all cooky or Lamb Lies Down on Broadway-y

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
^Philosophy is already well explored within many of the 40k novels, especially the Horus Heresy series.

Philosophy/social science is a broad term for what I mean... Perhaps poorly chosen. Consider me the five year old sat in the back seat of the car saying, "But why? How?" to every given sentence.

Best of luck to the testers!

Ha ha, got the "intriguing but not exactly what they are looking for" response a few days ago, and thought that was it. Only after reading the posts here did I think to read the whole email and saw the part about 'taking the test if you have nothing better to do'.

Well, I obviously have nothing better to do...

It doesn't really say "... if you have nothing better to do.", does it?

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
It doesn't really say "... if you have nothing better to do.", does it?

Yup. Think it might have even called me a nerd in there somewhere to.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I've been dragging my heels on sending an application because I'm pretty sure philosophy and history in Imperial culture is not something that's going to get me the job.
"I shoot, but why?"
Perhaps I should expand that to a general interest in why things explode.

I'm in the same position. I'd love an excuse to round out one of my stories, about a civilian whose sanity is being slowly ground to dust along with the rest of the city after a governor's failed attempt to secede from the Imperium, but it's hard to imagine it gaining any traction with GW.

I have an entry;

There he was standing on a pile of corpses awash in blood and gore, every one was dead, no more blood for the blood god, Kharn dropped the severed head he was holding and watched it roll down the hill of his creation. A thought crossed his mind and he shouted out in rage;

"F**K it, lets go bowling!"

Somehow finished these stories just now, pretty happy with how i went. Will see if gw likes them and if i have the same enthusiasm to write more.

Thought I'd give this a shot and am pleased to be through to the test phase.

 SpookyBoogie wrote:
Got the "Nice enthusiasm but what you want to cover isn't what we want at this time but you can take the test if you want even if we feel it'd be pointless" reply. Probably should have pitched a better idea overall.

I got this email earlier today.

I sat back and thought for all of a minute (probably less) and decided I was going to go for the test anyway.

Until they reject me outright, I'm going to keep on going.

 Dicrel Seijin wrote:

 SpookyBoogie wrote:
Got the "Nice enthusiasm but what you want to cover isn't what we want at this time but you can take the test if you want even if we feel it'd be pointless" reply. Probably should have pitched a better idea overall.

I got this email earlier today.

I sat back and thought for all of a minute (probably less) and decided I was going to go for the test anyway.

Until they reject me outright, I'm going to keep on going.

I am applying the same attitude

'You will entertain my notion of introducing the Demiurg Codex or I will die trying!'

Well, half way done now. I'm actually enjoying this

 Rainbow Dash wrote:
I am rewatching the Dawn of War trailers to get the proper feel and so it doesn't go all cooky or Lamb Lies Down on Broadway-y

I don't think they are that strict on dialogue. I'm reading "Path of the Dark Eldar" currently by Andy Chambers and he wrote every Dark Eldar with the voice of a Bond villain and that passed so y'know. Ham it up if you want to.

I sent my initial mail in full Ork-speak. Got the same rejection e-mail as most stating I could still do the tests if I wanted, which I accepted. Haven't heard anything about my send-in yet, though.

I thought I'd give this a shot and see where it got me, sitting down and writing my application after work. Finished it at early sent it in, and long while later got a ding of an incoming e-mail as I got out of the shower after stewing in angst of, 'when will I hear back?!?'.

Thank you for your interest.

Here is your test brief-

Huh. I sent in a more complete version of that Malekith/Morathi love piece. What do you all think a facepalm picture of Kirby is worth, along with the cease and desist letter that was paperclipped to it?

 SpookyBoogie wrote:

 Rainbow Dash wrote:
I am rewatching the Dawn of War trailers to get the proper feel and so it doesn't go all cooky or Lamb Lies Down on Broadway-y

I don't think they are that strict on dialogue. I'm reading "Path of the Dark Eldar" currently by Andy Chambers and he wrote every Dark Eldar with the voice of a Bond villain and that passed so y'know. Ham it up if you want to.

I wanted the first one to reflect more on the heroic last stand of Captain Lisianthus (I gotta think up a new name) and his squad of Ultramarines then just... a mindless battle scene.
Like how is afraid and accepts it, feeling only a madman or heretic wouldn't feel fear, that sort of jargon.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Huh. I sent in a more complete version of that Malekith/Morathi love piece. What do you all think a facepalm picture of Kirby is worth, along with the cease and desist letter that was paperclipped to it?

"Oh God! Make it stop!" doesn't count as a C&D.

So apparently, they're not too keen on the idea of a Brettonian peasant who finds out she's the daughter of the Changeling (A bit like what happened to Orghott's Daemonspew) and is torn between learning more about her chaotic heritage or seek help from the Lady.

Granted, probably not a good idea to put that idea forth now that End Times has come. But hey, more 40k writing apparently. *writes test briefs*

+1 for squat reference.

I've sent off the two test pieces now. I wonder how long it will be for a reply.

 AlexHolker wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I've been dragging my heels on sending an application because I'm pretty sure philosophy and history in Imperial culture is not something that's going to get me the job.
"I shoot, but why?"
Perhaps I should expand that to a general interest in why things explode.

I'm in the same position. I'd love an excuse to round out one of my stories, about a civilian whose sanity is being slowly ground to dust along with the rest of the city after a governor's failed attempt to secede from the Imperium, but it's hard to imagine it gaining any traction with GW.

Do it anyway (and share!), I'd read that.

 Lou_Cypher wrote:
So apparently, they're not too keen on the idea of a Brettonian peasant who finds out she's the daughter of the Changeling (A bit like what happened to Orghott's Daemonspew) and is torn between learning more about her chaotic heritage or seek help from the Lady.

Granted, probably not a good idea to put that idea forth now that End Times has come. But hey, more 40k writing apparently. *writes test briefs*

It seems like you and some other people seem to be missing what GW is looking for. They're not asking for a realized story concept, and the fact that it's coming from GW and not BL makes it seem much more likely that whatever the projects turn out to be, they will cover a wide range of subjects. Short bits of fiction, fluff that could go into White Dwarf or on the internet. That'd be the kind of thing you'd want to present broader ideas and capabilities than something so intensely focused.

 Bookwrack wrote:

It seems like you and some other people seem to be missing what GW is looking for. They're not asking for a realized story concept, and the fact that it's coming from GW and not BL makes it seem much more likely that whatever the projects turn out to be, they will cover a wide range of subjects. Short bits of fiction, fluff that could go into White Dwarf or on the internet. That'd be the kind of thing you'd want to present broader ideas and capabilities than something so intensely focused.

I'm going to have to agree with you here because I also sent in a pitch for novel/series. And that's quite likely the reason I got the response that I got.

I really should keep time zones in mind. If I've done my math right, I got sent the test briefs within a couple of hours when I sent my reply saying I'd still like to try the test. I could have spent last night working on it. Well, that's time gone. Now to write like a madman and revise like crazy for the next several days.

A very long (almst 250 worlds) application letter is sent via gmail. dunno if it's too late and whether will I get a test?